Egypt condemns Israeli Minister's statements over occupied West Bank annexation - Foreign Affairs
'Egypt categorically rejects these declarations, which are in clear violation of international law and represent a dangerous attempt to entrench an illegal occupation of Palestinian territories,' said the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in a statement on Wednesday.
Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin declared that 'the time has come' to annexe the West Bank during a meeting with settler leader Yossi Dagan.
'I believe that this period—regardless of current issues—is a historic opportunity that must not be missed,' a report by The Times of Israel on Wednesday quoted Levin as he referred to the annexation of disputed territories.
In a statement issued by Dagan's office, accompanied by a released video, Levin told him: 'It is time for sovereignty, time to implement it. My stance on this matter is firm and clear.'
He further emphasised that the issue should be 'at the top of the priority list.'
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry stated that such statements undermined the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and jeopardised the prospects for determining their destiny and establishing an independent state along the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
They also threaten the regional unity of the Palestinian territories, including the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, it added.
Egypt also reaffirmed its rejection of ongoing Israeli violations in the West Bank, including military raids, arbitrary arrests, and settlement expansion.
'These actions not only breach international law but also coincide with ongoing crimes in the Gaza Strip, aiming to dismantle all aspects of life for the Palestinian people,' the statement read.
Egypt called on the international community to intervene immediately to put an end to these grave violations and halt the systematic annexation of Palestinian land.
It also urged the international community to take responsible action in fulfilling the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, chief among them the establishment of an independent state on the entirety of their national territory.
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